Gridiron Rebels Reel In More Postseason Honors

OXFORD, Miss. – Issac Gross is a Freshman All-America first teamer and several other Rebels have piled up more postseason accolades this week.

Numerous media outlets are recognizing members of the 2012 Rebel team that helped Ole Miss return to a bowl game for the first time since 2009 and win six games under first-year head coach Hugh Freeze after compiling just six wins the previous two years combined.

Gross, who had already earned SEC All-Freshman honors from the league coaches, was tabbed Freshman All-America first team by CollegeFootballNews.com. The defensive tackle from Batesville, Miss., finished second among SEC freshmen with nine tackles for loss and produced 38 total tackles as a true freshman.

Redshirt-freshman linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche also picked up Freshman All-America first team honors from CFN and Phil Steele this week after receiving the same distinction from Scout.com earlier. An All-SEC second teamer by numerous outlets, he leads Ole Miss with 78 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and three interceptions this year. He’s one of just two SEC players that forced four fumbles in league play, along with SEC Defensive Player of the Year Jarvis Jones from Georgia.

Gross and Nkemdiche were joined on ESPN.com’s SEC All-Freshman list by teammates Trae Elston (DB) and Jaylen Walton (RS). Elston started started eight games at safety and racked up 56 tackles with six passes defended. He was named the hardest-hitting SEC freshman by ESPN.com, as well. Walton ranks fifth among SEC players with a 23.3-yard kick return average, which includes a 100-yard return for a touchdown against No. 12 Texas.

After being named All-SEC second team by College Sports Madness last week, sophomore wide receiver Donte Moncrief was tabbed third team by Phil Steele this week. Moncrief has tied the school record with 10 touchdown catches this season and has posted the third-most receptions (60) and receiving yards (948) in a season in school history. His 10 TD catches are second-most among SEC players this year.

Sophomore defensive end C.J. Johnson picked up All-SEC third team recognition from College Sports Madness. He ranks seventh in the SEC in sacks with a team-leading 6.5.